It was 2 a.m. in the ER, and I sat slumped in a plastic chair, still in the pajama pants I\u2019d given birth in, rocking my feverish three-week-old. Olivia burned with heat, her cries scraping my nerves raw. My C-section scar throbbed. I hadn\u2019t slept in days.<\/p>\n
Across from me sat a man in a sharp suit, gold watch flashing as he complained. \u201cUnbelievable. We\u2019re prioritizing that? A single mom with a screaming kid?\u201d<\/p>\n
The nurse, Tracy, stayed calm. \u201cSir, we treat by urgency.\u201d<\/p>\n
He scoffed. \u201cCharity cases. I pay for this system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then the doctor appeared, walking straight to me. \u201cBaby with fever?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. She\u2019s three weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
The man jumped up. \u201cI\u2019ve had chest pain! Might be a heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
The doctor didn\u2019t flinch. \u201cYou\u2019re not pale, sweating, or short of breath. You walked in fine. I\u2019ll bet you strained a muscle golfing.\u201d A laugh rippled through the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis infant\u2019s fever is 101.7,\u201d he added. \u201cAt three weeks, that\u2019s an emergency. Speak to my staff like that again, and I\u2019ll walk you out myself.\u201d Applause broke out as he led me back.<\/p>\n
Olivia\u2019s tests came back fine\u2014just a mild virus. Relief made my legs weak. Later, Tracy brought a small care bag: diapers, formula, a pink blanket, and a note \u2014 You\u2019ve got this, Mama.<\/em><\/p>\n By the time we left, Olivia slept peacefully. I passed Mr. Rolex, smiled, and walked into the night air holding my daughter tighter \u2014 tired, but stronger.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It was 2 a.m. in the ER, and I sat slumped in a plastic chair, still in the pajama pants I\u2019d given birth in, rocking my feverish… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n